Happy Holidays!!!

This story, courtesy of NBC News gave me a laugh, and it goes to show that there are a lot of great people out there who happen to also be attorneys.

Wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season.

Stranger Gives $983 So Defendant Can Avoid Felony Charge

A generous stranger gave a defendant in a Portland courtroom nearly a thousand dollars last week so the man wouldn’t be charged with a felony. Castor Conley was busted for buying and selling a stolen car that was part of a greater criminal operation, his lawyer, Lawrence Taylor, told NBC News.

“My client was minimally involved in what was otherwise a big case,” Taylor said, but the prosecutor decided not to charge Conley with a felony if he could repay the original owner of the car its $983 value. Conley was given five weeks to come up with the money, but he was unable to. Taylor was discussing his client’s predicament with someone else when a civil attorney overheard.

The civil attorney, Colin Murphy, “out of nowhere, took me aside and made the offer that he’d be willing to help out,” Taylor said. He said he would give Conley the $983, as long as the Bar Association permitted the gesture, since lawyers can’t give funds to their clients. But “a lawyer who isn’t involved in the case is no different than anyone else,” and Murphy was allowed to supply Conley with his redemption cash. “I’ve never seen anything like it — not even close,” said Taylor, who has been practicing law for 23 years.

Conley is a husband and father of a 17-month-old, with one prior misdemeanor, and felony charge could have resulted in Conley losing his job, Taylor said.

Matthew J. Rich

Matthew J. Rich is a Rochester, New York-based attorney focusing on criminal defense, DWI cases, traffic offenses, and family law. He brings nearly a decade of experience in private practice and the Monroe County District Attorney's office to assist each and every client.

If you're looking for an attorney, chances are it's because you're facing a problem of some sort. Matthew J. Rich's goal is to help you with your problem, be your informed advocate, and ultimately get you a fair and satisfactory outcome. Matthew J. Rich is on your side.